SERIES: Entrepreneurship and Innovation

S1-S3

60–90 minutes

Spotting a Problem Worth Solving

Many weak business ideas begin with a solution searching for a problem. Stronger opportunities begin by understanding what people are already struggling with. You will collect real-world friction, define one specific problem, gather evidence and decide whether it is worth solving. By the end of this challenge you will: Spot repeated frustrations and workarounds […]

Spotting a Problem Worth Solving

Your Mission

Find a problem worth solving before you fall in love with an idea.

You will collect real-world friction, define a specific user problem, gather evidence and decide whether the opportunity deserves more work.

The Shape of This Challenge

Discover

✏️ ️ Notice & question

Explore

️ Investigate & test

Create

✏️ Make & communicate

Reflect

️ Think & apply

Discover

Start with observation and make the problem precise.

Step 1

Collect Friction, Not Ideas

✏️ Observation sprint · 8–10 mins

We are learning to notice repeated frustrations, workarounds and unmet needs.

Strong business ideas often begin with a specific problem somebody is already trying to solve in an awkward way.

Your Task

List at least ten small frustrations, delays, repeated tasks or awkward workarounds you have noticed.
Do not write solutions yet.
Star the three problems that seem repeated rather than one-off.
Circle the one where you can clearly identify who experiences it.

I can identify repeated problems without jumping immediately to a solution.

→ This gives you a shortlist of real opportunities to investigate.

Problem SolvingEntrepreneurshipObservation

Step 2

Make the Problem Specific

️ Reframe · 8–10 mins

We are learning to turn a vague problem into a specific user-and-situation statement.

‘People need better transport’ is too broad. ‘S3 pupils who stay for after-school clubs struggle to get home because the last bus leaves before activities finish’ is investigable.

Your Task

Take your strongest problem.
Complete the sentence: [Person] struggles to [do something] when [situation] because [barrier].
Remove any solution hidden inside the statement.
Write one assumption you may be making about the person or barrier.

I can write a specific problem statement without embedding my preferred solution.

→ This becomes the focus of your evidence gathering.

Problem SolvingCommunicationEntrepreneurship

Explore

Test whether the problem is real, repeated and important enough.

Step 3

Is the Problem Real and Repeated?

Choose your route · 12–15 mins

We are learning to test whether other people experience the problem and how important it is to them.

Do not ask people whether they like your future idea. First find out what they actually do now.

Your Task

Choose the problem statement from Step 2.
Complete one research route.
Record at least three pieces of evidence.
Write one thing that would make you stop pursuing this problem.

⚡ Quick Track

Ask 3–5 teacher-approved people about the last time they experienced the problem, what they did and what it cost them in time, money or frustration. Avoid pitching a solution.

Dig Deeper

Combine approved interviews/survey evidence with public reviews, forums, market data or existing alternatives. Look for repeated language and current workarounds.

I can use evidence to judge whether a problem is real, repeated and meaningful.

→ This gives your opportunity decision an evidence base.

ResearchEntrepreneurshipVerification

Step 4

Problem Worth Solving?

️ Score the opportunity · 10–12 mins

We are learning to evaluate whether a problem is attractive enough to investigate further.

A problem can be real but still be a weak business opportunity if it is rare, trivial, hard to reach or already solved well.

Your Task

Score the problem 1–5 for frequency, severity, number of people affected, poor current alternatives and your access to users.
Explain the lowest score.
Choose whether to continue, narrow or drop the problem.
If you narrow it, rewrite the problem statement.

I can use transparent criteria to decide whether a problem deserves more work.

→ This produces the opportunity decision for your final brief.

Problem SolvingCritical ThinkingEntrepreneurship

Create & Share

Create a concise opportunity brief that can guide solution testing.

Step 5

Create an Opportunity Brief

✏️ Analyse · Create · 25–35 mins

We are learning to communicate a problem opportunity using evidence rather than enthusiasm.

Your brief should answer who has the problem, when it happens, what they do now, why that is unsatisfactory and what evidence shows it matters.

Your Task

Use your final problem statement.
Include at least three pieces of evidence from Step 3.
Describe the current workaround or alternative.
State whether you would continue, narrow or drop the opportunity and why.
Choose one output below.

Opportunity Brief

1 page · 250–300 words

⏱ 25–30 mins

Explain the user, situation, current workaround, evidence and opportunity decision.

Problem Opportunity Pitch

4 slides · maximum 30 words per slide

⏱ 30–35 mins

Pitch the problem and evidence — not the solution.

Problem Evidence Board

1 page · 80–120 words + evidence snippets

⏱ 25–30 mins

Show who experiences the problem, repeated evidence and the biggest unanswered question.

I can create an evidence-based opportunity brief without prematurely pitching a solution.

→ This is your finished mission output.

Problem SolvingResearchEntrepreneurship

Step 6

Reflect, Apply, Look Forward

️ Think or discuss · 5–8 mins

We are learning to reflect on how evidence changes entrepreneurial opportunity spotting.

The next challenge is about testing solutions. A strong solution experiment is only useful if the underlying problem is worth solving.

Your Task

Answer the reflection prompts.
Name one assumption that weakened during this challenge.
Write one solution assumption you will need to test next.

Reflect

What evidence made the problem look stronger or weaker?

Apply

How could problem-first thinking improve a school, community or work project?

Look Forward

What problem do you think new technology may create while solving another?

I can explain why problem evidence should come before solution enthusiasm.

→ You now have a problem worth testing solutions against.

ReflectionEntrepreneurshipCritical Thinking

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TOOLKIT

Choose Your Tools

Use the tools available to you. Strong thinking matters more than a particular app.

Observe

Use a notes app, paper, photos of public situations or a simple problem log. Avoid collecting private information about other people.

Research

Use public reviews, forums, surveys, local data or existing alternatives to test whether the problem is real and repeated.

Create

Use a problem brief, opportunity map, slides or a short recorded explanation.

Educator / Parent Notes

Age, Stage and Prior Learning: Designed for S1–S3. Problems can come from school, hobbies, community life, online experiences or everyday routines.

Before You Start: Avoid asking learners to investigate sensitive personal problems. Keep user research age-appropriate and supervised.

How to Open This: Ask: “What is something annoying that people have learned to put up with?” Then ban solutions for the first five minutes.

Scheduling: Steps 1–4 need 35–45 minutes; Step 5 needs 25–35 minutes.

If a Pupil Gets Stuck: Provide a list of common frustrations and a problem-statement template. Let the learner gather evidence from peers rather than open research.

For Fast Finishers: Ask learners to identify the cost of the problem in time, money or missed opportunity, or compare a broad market problem with a narrow niche problem.

Marking Guidance: Look for evidence of repeated need, specific user/context framing, behaviour-based research and willingness to drop or narrow a weak opportunity.

Spotting a Problem Worth Solving

Spotting a Problem Worth Solving

Discover

Collect Friction, Not Ideas

Make the Problem Specific

Explore

Is the Problem Real and Repeated?

Problem Worth Solving?

Create & Share

Create an Opportunity Brief

Reflect, Apply, Look Forward

Show What You Have Learned

Observe

Research

Create

Show What You Have Learned

Observe

Research

Create

TOOLKIT

Observe

Research

Create

Educator / Parent Notes

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